Articles related to LIVER CANCER

Recently, the ALBI (albumin-bilirubin) score has been developed as an HCC-specific refinement of the Child-Pugh (C-P) score. In this commentary, the authors summarize the limitations of the C-P score, which include subjectivity and inconsistency of versions, as well as lack of sensitivity in patients with mild liver dysfunction. In comparison, the ALBI score “is entirely objective, obviating any need for subjective assessment of clinical signs, that it is derived from an entirely HCC population and is a continuous score that readily lends itself for assessment of changes in liver reserve over time.”

A potentially practice-changing clinical trial for first line therapy is the first to show that the combination of two immunotherapy medications is an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HIMALAYA study evaluated combination immunotherapy (IO-IO), durvalumab with tremelimumab, as frontline therapy in patients with unresectable HCC. Overall survival was significantly improved with the IO-IO combination compared with sorafenib monotherapy (16.4 vs 13.8 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 96% CI, 0.65-0.92; P =.0035). Early results of the phase three LAUNCH trial are also promising. This trial compared the combination of lenvatinib with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) to lenvatinib alone in an Asian population with advanced HCC. The lenvatinib-TACE group achieved a higher median overall survival (17.8 vs. 11.5 months and median progression-free survival (10.6 vs. 6.4 months). Muhammad Shaalan Beg, MD, director for GI Medical Oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas summarizes these and other takeaways from emerging research on advanced HCC presented at the recent ASCO GI Symposium.

Research from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center showed that combination therapy of cabozantinib and nivolumab could make curative surgery possible for some liver cancer patients who would normally not be considered for such a procedure. Among 15 people with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the study who could not be treated previously with surgery, the drugs allowed 12 patients to undergo successful surgical removal of their cancer. Five of these 12 patients had only 10% or less of their tumor remaining after the drug treatment.

Available from Guideline Central, the free, quick-reference print and digital pocket guide covers the most recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Hepatocellular Carcinoma Guidelines. Accessed by web and offline mobile devices, the pocket guide covers key points, treatment, first- and second-line therapies, a downloadable PDF, and links to other resources in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.